Still wondering the story why the babysitter would just leave along with Audrey, hitchhiking to a bus taking them out of the state. Also did families hire babysitters back in the early 60s, when the wife was still at home before women started having full time jobs?
It sounds like she was on a mission and wasn't going to get caught in a preparation stage.
Yes, my parents had 4 under four and they hired a neghbor teen to help with the kids and the laundry.